


Connective

by Executortionist



Category: Tansformers: More than Meets the Eye, The Transformers (IDW Generation One), Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: M/M, and other stuff, spark bonding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-06
Updated: 2014-05-06
Packaged: 2018-01-23 18:48:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,429
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1575764
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Executortionist/pseuds/Executortionist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sparks are strange, but strangest of all is how they effect each other. </p><p>(In which things go awry for First Aid, and Fortress Maximus is the solution.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Connective

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know, this was pretty much written on a whim (and then egged on by LoveDrift's comment on my other fic, 'Fortress Hearts'. Congratulations LoveDrift, you've inspired a fic from me, so I hope you see and like it!)

Shortly after Delphi and First Aid's boarding of the Lost Light, there was a feeling. An itch, just below his armor and in such a place that it was impossible to get to without dismantling himself.

Deep in the recesses of his chest, it sat. For weeks, that feeling ate away at his mind and frayed his nerves into oblivion. Ratchet banned him from the med-bay eventually; apparently he was being too fidgety. _"Come back when you can properly hold a scalpel!"_ He'd said whilst shoving First Aid out.

So, now alone and uncomfortable, he sat in Swerve's. Probably waiting for something to happen.

Definitely waiting for something to happen.

Some nights there would be a fight or two (it was always interesting to see Swerve throw out the culprits), and others- the itch would grow to cover the whole expanse of his front and up his neck in such an uncomfortable way that he just couldn't. Sit. Still. It was frustrating, to say the least.

And then First Aid started noticing regularities in his 'itch'. The most awful part of it was; _he was a medic for Primus' sake_! He should know what's wrong with him!

When he was in his room, it was little more than an unpleasant throb; at Swerve's, it was either full blown irritating or an ache that made him feel as old as he was. Anywhere else, and it was annoying but bearable.

He didn't know why this was; until he passed one Fortress Maximus in the halls. As the incredibly large mech approached, the feeling eased significantly, and as they passed each other with little more than a respectful nod and continued on their ways- well, that was when it came back and grew and grew until First Aid was staggering onto his berth in hopes that it would _go away_ if he rested, or at least laid down.

It was worse then before somehow. His spark sang in such an unnatural way; it almost felt like it was screeching into his processor and he couldn't help but curl in on himself, holding his head in his hands in hopes to elevate the high pitches and unpleasant sounds emitted throughout his frame.

Sounds like these; they resonated through the spark chamber in such away- it tasted sour. 

It only left after what felt like an eternity, but when First Aid checked his inner clock, it showed only a little more than an hour had passed.

He hadn't fallen into recharge at all. In fact, he felt more tired than he had before. It was awful.

There was a minute of contemplation on whether to go down to Swerve's to wash the taste from his mouth, but he decided not to. Once more, there was an unpleasant throbbing from where his spark was.

"This is ridiculous." 

Muttering- he was starting to mutter. He did not want to mutter like Ambulon was wont to do when he thought no one could hear him. He absolutely did not want to contract that trait from his friend.

So, doing something he should have probably done the week before; he popped his chest open to reveal his spark chamber, and opening that, he took a long look at his spark- or at least, what he could see of it.

What he saw, frankly, freaked him out.

So, he went to Ratchet for a second opinion, and then Ambulon for a third, and looked into a mirror to get a fourth from himself. 

It was official; He was spark bonded, and apparently suffering from a lack of proper energy output from his bonded.

Meaning- he wasn't touching sparks and connecting with his bonded nearly as much as he should be to be staying healthy.

And this freaked him out just more than a bit, considering he had never, not once, ever been spark bonded. It was a dangerous ceremony, almost considered taboo in their current day and age. And especially with the war; connecting sparks was hard enough to do when you had free time, let alone when you could be called into battle or attacked at any time.

It was also dangerous because, if he didn't find out whom he'd accidentally bonded with soon, well, it would have nasty consequences. He could start rusting or contracting viruses, lose mobility in his limbs, even _die_.

And he did not want any of that.

So started the search for his bonded.

It was more complicated than anything he'd ever done before. He would have to read his spark energy and remember who he'd interacted with during the day, and he made special note of those inhabiting the rooms around him. He figured it would have to be someone close, for the pain to be elevated so much in his own hab suite during the recharging hours.

But, like every 'sickness', he had a time limit. Ratchet had informed him that he would likely only have a week at most to find who it is and connect, and First Aid was afraid. What if his bonded hated him? Despised him because this whole situation wasn't meant to be? Or, what if, his bonded was already in a relationship with someone else? 

Awful thoughts plagued his mind. He spent the first night awake.

The second day was spent walking around the ship, taking note of who was around and what he was feeling.

The third day was spent in his hallway, the pain near unbearable. 

It was on the fourth day of his search that he saw any progress- in the form of Fortress Maximus. Once again they passed each other in the hallway, and once again there was a sense of peace and the pain eased. First Aid could only just stop himself from pivoting on his feet to stare at the broad back of the larger mech.

And that night, once the itch had subsided one more- he had a revelation. Fort Max was in the room next to his. When Fort Max was around, the pain eased, and when he was farther away, it hurt. 

Fortress Maximus... was his bonded.

He spent the night of the fourth day cringing into his hands and near sobbing from uncertainty. Fortress Maximus wouldn't want a spark bond. He just- He just knew it. Fort Max was still recovering from Garrus 9. 

But they would both die if he didn't act. Fort Max was probably feeling the pain as well. It was just- it couldn't be avoided.

On the fifth day, with little recharge, he stumbled out of his room and to the one next door. It was still quite early, but First Aid was confident (as confident as his tired processor could be)that Fort Max would be awake and alert. 

Lo and behold, his timid knock was answered promptly. Too promptly for his liking.

Swallowing his nerves, he cleared his vocals as he nervously shifted from foot to foot and looked anywhere but Fort Max.

"Can I help you?"

First Aid hadn't heard that voice since Delphi, and oh was it ever sweet. It was like- It was like that vintage engex Swerve sometimes pulled out of storage; deep and rich and with almost too many undertones to count. 

And then First Aid remembered he was standing there, not saying anything and probably making a fool out of himself.

"Erm, yeah. Sorry- I need to talk to you? Is that okay?" Here it was. He was going to get rejected and probably punched in the face if he managed to make Fortress Maximus angry.

There was the sound of moving feet as Fort Max silently invited him into his room, and like First Aid had expected, it was completely empty save for the berth and a desk in the corner. Fort Max had sat on his berth rather unceremoniously, leaving First Aid the chair if he so pleased.

So he sat. And fidgeted. 

There were pointed where he would gesture with his hands for a second, about to start talking- but the words wouldn't come out and he could tell that Fortress Maximus was starting to lose his patience. He cleared his vocals again.

"I... Imayhavedonesomethingwrongpleaseforgiveme!" Fort Max focused on him intently, clearly trying to figure out his fast words.

"I'm sorry?"

"I... did something wrong. Er, when I woke you up." Oh, that sounded really bad. From the thunderous expression on Fortress Maximus's face, he would say it didn't go unnoticed.

So before he could say anything, First Aid hurried on, "I mean, er, not by waking you up, but uh, I used my spark to boost yours and it was a new technique and I'm just really sorry! I am so, so sorry, Fortress Maximus. I... I should've fou-"

"What do you mean, you did something wrong? What did you do?" There was an urgent undertone, and First Aid got the impression that Fort Max had been feeling the pain as well and was probably finding the reason for it now, through him. Because as it were, it _was_ his fault.

Venting heavily in a nervous sigh, First Aid shifted uncomfortably. 

"I bonded our sparks accidentally. I'm so sorry." He dared to peek a look at Fort Max. The red optics were still intently focused on him, but they were now slightly more dull than before; processing the information, probably. When they brightened back up, First Aid found himself under heavy scrutiny.

"Okay."

"Okay?! This isn't okay!" First Aid, at this point, was using his hands to emphasize his words. "I did this without asking! We could both be dead in a matter of days and I don't even know if you want this! If I want this!

I barely know you." His voice was quiet now; tired. "I barely know you. How can you be so calm?"

Fortress Maximus looked to be struggling with words, and in the end, he simply shrugged. "I like you. You're nice, and you haven't once acted skittish or fearful of me. The others think I will snap with the click of their fingers. If you are who I am to spend the rest of my life with, then so be it. And..." Fort Max hesitated a shy smile blossoming on his face, 

"I appreciate all you've done for me."

First Aid could only gape. "I... Er..." he could only mumble a quiet,

"Okay."

They sat in silence for a few minutes after that, and it wasn't relatively awkward. First Aid continued to fidget under the gaze of Fortress Maximus as said mech studied him and did some fidgeting of his own. It took all of First Aid's courage to ask; "What now?"

An almost cheeky grin spread across Fortress Maximus's face, and for some reason, it made First Aid shiver. Playfully, the large mech said, "You're the doctor, why don't you tell me?"

Oh.

Right.

Heat rose in First Aid and his fans quietly kicked in, only just making enough background noise for it to be noticed. If anything, it made Fortress Maximus's grin grow wider and his optics brighten. The look would have been nearly feral if not for the lingering nervous twitching of Fort Max's fingers.

"W-We should... probably properly bond. The pain will go away if we do." Right, he had to try desperately not to kill the mood with his knowledge. He knew from experience than most Cybertronians found excessive talking to be a huge turn off.

At Fort Max's nod, First Aid took the risk and stood, walking to Fort Max as if walking to his doom; but he knew it wouldn't be so bad. 

Eventually, after what felt like forever, First Aid was standing at Fort Max's knees, and he hesitantly put his hand on one, running his fingers over the warm metal beneath them. Looking up at Fort Max, he found the grin gone, now replaced with something more serious; something more considering and heavy. They were nearly the same height like this, and that gaze once more sent shivers through his spark.

It was unexpected but not unwelcome when Fort Max cupped his body closer and carefully massaged his fingers along First Aid's back, carefully stroking and fitting into any seam they would possible. Arching his back into that hand to allow more access, he gripped the leg under his own hand.

Unsure of what to do with his other hand, he placed it on Fort Max's waist and worked it into the seams there, pulled quite the attractive moan from the larger mech. Smugly, First Aid swiped his fingers delicately along the inside of some of the plating there.

This, while pleasurable, wasn't, however, what they were meant to be doing. With fans going and fingers wandering, he slowly climbed into the lap of Fortress Maximus and looked at him directly; making sure this is what he wanted. Reminding him that he had a choice, even if he'd already expressed his want to have First Aid as his bonded.

With a surely nod from Fort Max, First Aid slowly, very incredibly slowly, used the manual unlatching system to reveal the large spark within that wide chest. 

And it was beautiful.

Light and dark blues, undertones of purple- it was all so beautiful, and no matter now many times he'd seen it while re-configuring the chest underneath his hands, it still blew his mind that something could be so amazingly magnificent. It shun like Cybertron's dim sun on a clear day, and as First Aid watched tendrils of light reach towards him, he felt those hands on him again, this time pulled him forward as he flipped the switches on his own spark chamber.

"You're beautiful." Was all he could say, over and over, like a mantra, and he moaned as his own spark came into contact with the charged air around and between them.

Just once, in a small lull in his words, Fort Max had uttered, "Not as beautiful as you." It was quiet, but First Aid heard, and oh, the amazing feeling of being whole and one and suddenly everything made sense. Everything wasn't painful and he could feel and think and he hoped to Primus Fortress Maximus was feeling it too.

There was no climactic overload- only a mingling of sparks and a sharing of energy. Getting used to each other, becoming one and then two and then one again. They would be family for the rest of their lives, and First Aid, for the first time in a long while, was perfectly content with his life and choices. 

**Author's Note:**

> I didn't expect it to be so long! Ah well, I had fun writing it, ehehe.


End file.
